Shadows
by BE-A-TLE
Summary: Rating might be high, but better safe than sorry. Not really sure how to summerize it, Wash is hurt I guess.


Disclaimer-Not mine. Don't sue, I've got no money.  
  
Author Notes- Not sure why I wrote this, it just wouldn't let me be until it got written, so here it is. The story that wouldnt leave me alone until it got written. I've not gotten to see all the episodes, so my grasp isn't as great as I'd hope, but I gave this a shot. I hope you enjoy it. Special thanks to Zelda for helping me with this story.   
  
Shadows  
  
It had been very quiet all day, and Wash was not complaining. All he knew for sure was that Jayne, Mal, and his beloved wife Zoe were on a mission or something of the sort, Kaylee was more than likely with Inara or working on the engines. Simon and River were in the medlab, and to his knowledge, Book was somewhere close by. He closed his eyes, leaning against the consol, listening to the rhymic hum of the serenity when a noise unaccustomed to the ship broke into his thoughts. Before he even had time to register what exactly that noise was, pain exploded up his spine, bright flashes dancing before his eyes and he slammed hard to the ground. That was funny, he didn't even remember falling.   
  
**********************************************  
  
"Did you hear something?" Kaylee asked as Inara brushed her hair up away from her face. The companion looked down at the younger girl and smiled.  
  
"No, I didn't hear anything." Kaylee shrugged slightly.   
  
"Maybe I'm imagining things."  
  
"Or maybe your not." Inara said a frown pulling at her lovely face. A knock riveted Inara's attention away from Kaylee and to the door. Pulling it open Book stood away from the frame.  
  
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if everything was all right...."  
  
"So I'm not imagining things." Kaylee replied, pushing herself up from the chair.  
  
"We better find Simon, River, and Wash and find out what that was." Inara said breezing out the door and leaving Kaylee and Book no choice but to follow.  
  
***********************************************  
  
Wash could not move. He lay stunned on his stomach, blood seeping to the floor around him. What had happened? He planted his hands firmly on the ground and tried to push himself up right, but his arms collapsed under his weight. Something was very wrong. Deciding it would be better not to waste his energy on that, he lay as still as he could on the floor, watching in horror as his own blood spread out around him on the floor. All he had to do was wait, he was sure someone else had heard that noise, he just had to hang on and wait for them to find him, that's all. A creak was heard and he used some of his precious energy to look up. He felt his heart sink, the doors seemed to be crumpled shut. Well, that certainly threw a wrench in the rescue plan.  
  
*************************************************  
  
Simon and River met the trio half way.   
  
"I suppose you heard that noise too." Simon spoke up.  
  
"Yes....we should find Wash, and radio the captain." Kaylee started. River shivered a little and stared up the stares, towards the cockpit. The group quickly took the stairs and Inara frowned when the doors didn't open automatically. Kaylee and Simon tried to manutally open in.  
  
"Wash?" Book called, worry creeping into his voice. A weak sound came back to their ears, it sounded suspiciously like Wash.  
  
"He's hurt." Inara said.  
  
"How are we suppose to contact the captain? All the equipment is in there with him!" Kaylee said, growing antsy.  
  
"The three of swords, the hangman, death." River intoned softly.  
  
"Inara, do you have a radio in your quarters? Perhaps you could contact Mal that way." Book broke in rationally.  
  
"Contact me for what?"   
  
"Captian!" Kaylee cried out in relief, Zoe, and Jayne standing slightly behind him.  
  
"What's going on?" Jayne demanded, folding his arms across his chest.  
  
"There was a noise, I don't know what it was, but Wash is trapped and we think he's hurt." Kaylee blurted out.  
  
"What?!" Zoe demanded running towards the door and throwing all her weight against it. Under normal circumstances that would have hurt, but she was so intent on getting to her husband she didn't even feel it. The door creaked loudly, but didn't give away. "Don't just stand there help me!" Mal was the first to snap out of his stupor and took to kicking the door with all he had. Jayne and Book joined in as well and Simon hearded Kaylee, Inara, and River out of their way.  
  
**************************************************   
  
Wash's strength and life force was pooling on the floor along with his blood. Was that banging on the door was that just the sound of blood pounding in his ears? He was dying. He didn't want to, but it didn't look like he was getting much of a choice. God he wanted to see Zoe one last time, just once more see her beautiful smiling face. His vision was filled with images of her and all he heard was her laugh. He wasn't in pain anymore, and he took that as a bad sign. Either shock was setting in, or he was to close to death to realize the pain any longer. Shadows began to cover the images of Zoe, and the banging intruded back into his senses, followed by a hinge creaking crash.  
  
"Wash!" That sounded like Zoe, his eyes felt so heavy, he just wanted to close them. He vaguly felt hands grasp him and turn him slightly, and suddenly the pain came back. So strong and so heavy he longed to fall into oblivion,but he couldn't. His beautiful wife stared down at him with the closest thing to tears he'd ever seen in her eyes.  
  
"I knew you'd come." He whispered soundlessly. He felt her grab his hand and pain burst through him as he was moved, was he being lifted? He let out the closest thing to a gasp as he could muster, the shadows over took him and his eyes fluttered closed.  
  
I'm such a bitch for ending it there right? Well, here's my offer. If you want a sequal to find out what happens, review and tell me if you think he should live or die. Whatever the overwhelming vote is, that's what the sequal will be about. If you hated this story and don't want a sequal, then that's fine too. 


End file.
